Plymouth College of Art
Finance issues when you are studying often cause unnecessary stress and anxiety.Plymouth College of Art’s Student Support team have put together a few top tips for managing your cash at uni.
1. Get an NUS card. Money off groceries (Co-op), and discounts for travel to interviews (National Express, Megabus, or railcards*) all add up. With money off entertainment (Thorpe Park anyone?) and eating out (Pizza Hut!), saving between 10 – 50% will always be welcome when there’s too much month for your money!
2. Keep your documents safe. We often find students experience issues with Student Finance during term, but don’t know their log in details. Keep a folder on your emails (or a literal folder somewhere safe) with this information in, so you can access your account, and Student Support can help where needed.
3. Get batch cooking. Websites like Love Food Hate Waste will help you become an expert in cooking and portioning meals. The site gives you recipes and encouragement from industry chefs, who can inspire a good cooking session, and help you save on your grocery bill. Buying a bunch of vegetables and/or meat and cooking it in different sauces for freezing can also save time on a dreary evening when you have deadlines to meet.
4. Keep track of your income and expenditure. Yes, we know. Nobody wants to know how much those new trainers were that you got when your student loan came in, but making sure you know what’s coming in and out of your bank account is essential to survive. For inspiration on budgets and how to save, visit Save the Student and join the forums for ideas and tips from other students. You could also try an app to keep track of spending – give Yolt a go.
6. Cash only. Try it. For one night, take out a set amount of cash and don’t take your bank or credit card. You’ll save a fortune! And stick a spare £5 – £10 in a secret pocket for your travel home, or share a taxi home with friends to get back safely.